October 6th 2076
Charon
Anna is sitting at the edge of the bed watching television. It's a show about a monkey that goes to space, she finds it hilarious. She is sitting cross legged in one of my shirts and is completely oblivious to my internal dilemma.
"Anna ?"
She turns round in a blurry of pepper hair and gives me a wide smile. I still don't understand what I have done to deserve such a look.
"Yes dear ?" She bats her eyes mockingly and crawls towards me. Anna puts her head on my chest and absentmindedly I begin to run my fingers through her hair.
"There's an event in 2 weeks." I have never been nervous in my life about events that didn't involve my possible death but now I am here wondering how to say words to someone I have comfortably talked to for half a year.
"Like military ?" Anna groans and I feel the vibration in my chest.
I laugh "Yes but a fun event."
Anna lifts her head and looks at me with a cocked eyebrow.
"Define fun."
"Dancing."
It almost comes out like a cough and suddenly Anna is staring at me with wide eyes and a knowing smirk.
"Are you asking me to a dance Charon ?"
"I..well...yeah."
Anna giggles loudly and wraps her arms around my neck "of course I would idiot."
Kisses are planted on my neck and face and I can't help but laugh as I wrap my arms around her waist and tackle her against the mattress. Her laughter fills my ears and I am glad to be here in this moment.
Anna
I am going dancing. I was taught in the vault but never before have I actually been to a proper function minus the disaster of a prom. I unwrap myself from Charon and giddily jump on the bed.
"Oh !" I am hit with a minuet epiphany. "I have to go !"
"Go where ?" Charon sits up on the bed as I throw off his shirt and slip on the blue dress I had stolen previously.
"You'll see !"
I kiss Charon quickly as I run out of the room in an excited blurry.
"Mrs Nale !" I shout.
A luxury suite door opens and there stands Mrs Nale perplexed. Her hair has slightly fallen out of its bun and her shirt is untucked. The war is beginning to take its toll and we have all felt its impact.
"Yes ?" She addresses me like a child.
"We need dresses !" I spin quickly still in an excited daze.
Her face changes from stern to a warm smile "He asked you didn't he ?"
"Yes !"
"Hold on a second."
The door closes and I wait patiently until a less formally dressed Mrs Nale appears in a soft cream dress and red hair that reaches down her back. She waves a small card in my face with the Generals name typed on it.
"Let's go !"
October 23rd 2076
Charon
I have been waiting in the hotel lobby for half an hour with General Nale. He is relaxed, as I am, in a black suit and is sitting with a measure of scotch. I am on my second he is on his third.
He pours more into each glass "I think we will need courage with these ladies."
I give a small laugh.
"You deserve this Charon. You have been too stern all your life."
"I can only thank you for this opportunity."
He looks at me seriously.
"Can you be freed from the contract ?"
I shake my head and I am surprised to see the General genuinely disappointed.
"Well lets hope my ownership reigns long."
I am sincerely touched by his words but know that my fate is soon to change. I hear a giggle echo and then General Nale sighs.
Mrs Nale and Anna emerge every bit ladies of society. Anna is a siren in red. Her hair is curled nicely and her lips and are a shocking red. She is wearing a red lace dress which sits at her knees and hugs each of her curves. I try to hide my smirk.
"How do I look ?"
Anna, for some reason, is nervous and looks up at me with a blush across her cheeks.
"Beautiful." I am sincere and she is breath taking.
She gives a breathless giggle and takes my arm. "You promised to take me dancing."
"Well come on" and we take the women to the car.
Anna
We are in 'Tenpenny Tower' however it is not called that at all. It is a rizz ? Rits ? However it looks the same as it did the last time I saw minus a considerable amount of blood stains and dust. There is a crowd of people formally and military dressed. They all talk in small groups taking drinks from plates and eating tiny portions of food. If food was plentiful I would eat as much as I could not downsize it. Mrs Nale gives a wide smile as another female passes her which changed to an eye roll once she is out of site.
"I hate this" Mrs Nale grabs my arm gently "You'll love this future girl it's called how much can you bullshit."
I snort a laugh and shegrabs us both a drink and promptly sways her way up to a man in uniform.
"Sergeant Montgomery ! How lovely to see you ! This is Anna she recently toured in Germany as special forces."
The mans eyebrows raise highly.
"Really ?"
"I did" I answer unsure until Mrs Nale gives me a look "yes, yes I did !"
"It's lucky isn't it Anna seeing as you speak German so fluently."
I suppress a snort "ja."
Sergeant Montgomery looks fascinated and I suddenly understand Mrs Nales game. In a room where so many people are serious and formal it is sometimes necessary to have fun or as Butch would say take the piss.
" wie lange ?" Montgomery surprisingly answers.
The look of panic I am given by Mrs Nale send me into a side splitting laugh.
"...ja ?"
Mrs Nale has to hold on to my shoulder to support herself from laugher while Montgomery looks on in confusion. I am aware of a change of my surroundings as I feel Charon stand behind me.
"What are you teasing the poor Sergeant over ?"
I try to gasp a word but Montgomery answers they were telling me about Anna's time in Germany nd I simply asked wie lange?"
Charon cocks an eyebrow with a smirk "sie blieb für ein Jahr".
Both Mrs Nale and I stare up at Charon and I hear her cackle behind me. Montgomery simply nods further confused and retreats from the conversation.
"Where did you learn German ?"
"You're assuming that my only contract holders would be English speaking ?"
I stand slightly stunned.
"How many languages can you speak ?"
He smirks "a few."
I stand by Charon for the remainder of the conversations and I am more than impressed. I had never before seen him sociable and ease into conversation.
"Charon how are you doing that ?"
"Doing what ?"
"Talking !"
"Well you see I move my lips and words come out."
I slap his arm playfully "no, back home you're quite reserved and quite. Not shy just...moody."
He takes this in thoughtfully.
"To fully protect a contract holder I must blend into whatever situation I find myself in. People would suspect that General Nale was in to more secretive operations if I stood behind him with a gun but I know that the three around him are perfectly safe and only one has a concealed weapon by his right ankle."
Charon has managed to take in so much and I didn't even see him observing "I never thought of that. Then why are you quiet with me ?"
"Sometimes it pays off to be intimidating."
I nod satisfied slightly disappointed I don't get to see more of the happy Charon. I smile as a brief thought hits me.
"How many weapons are you concealing ?"
He looks down at me with a sinister smirk "a few."
I laugh "me too."
"Did I teach you that ?"
"Yup."
He smiles and gently moves a curl away from my face "lets go to dinner."
Charon
I am not the best dancer, I don't want to be. I was made to fight and hold weaponry but not dance. I have Anna in both arms and we are spinning fast but in time. She is laughing loudly in my arms and her dress flutters around her. For once in my life I am euphoric. We are slightly drunk and happy.
"How about a photo ?"
The photographer has called at us and in this current moment I am happy to oblige. I am tired from dancing but I still put my arm around her, pull her close, and smile. The photographer hands Anna the Polaroid and she quickly puts it in the darkness of my pocket.
"I love this" she speaks happily gesturing to the room.
We are handed more drinks and we dance more.
Anna catches the attention of Mrs Nale who gives her a drunken wave with a large smile.
"She's funny" Anna laughs.
We walk to them and sit at the table for a while catching our breath and having more drinks. Anna is now a giggling mass of hair next to me with her head on the table. Mrs Nale is cackling at a joke her husband has spoke and I sit and unbutton my jacket. I realise with my own drunken smile I am having fun.
The song changed and I recognise it as If I Didn't Care.
"Anna ?" I hold out my hand "would you care to dance ?"
The song is slow and I want her in my arms once more. Instead of taking my hand she lifts her head slowly and she has tears in her eyes.
"I'd love to."
I am confused but once she takes my hand I lead her to the floor and hold her gently.
"Are you okay ?"
Anna wipes a quick tear away from her cheek "we were at a wedding on a ship and you refused to dance at all. You sat at the table with beer and kept watch. I thought you hated to dance."
I spin her slowly listening to her story, our story.
"This song came on and you got up for some reason and asked me to dance. Just this song." She smiles fondly "I guess I know why."
"I guess it's our song" I smile and kiss Anna who gives me a wonderful smile in return.
I am suddenly taken in by everything that is Anna, that smile, her smell and suddenly I want more.
"Lets get a room."
Anna
I am more than giddy as Charon leads me along familiar halls. His hands are in my hair, on my waist, everywhere as he places quick kisses down my throat. We find the door and I am slammed against it. I begin unbuttoning Charon's shirt as he unlocks the door. I am picked up and I wrap my legs around his waist as he kisses me deeply. I hear the door slam as Charon kicks it shut and I feel softness as my back reaches the bed.
"You sure ?" My voice is breathless and I tug Charon's shirt from his arms. I am greeted with a chiselled stomach toned with muscle. I run my hand down it in appreciation and I feel Charon shudder.
He nods into my neck and I feel the air as my dress is unzipped and slipped over my head. I look at Charon and his eyes are filled with such emotion I can't help but caress his cheek.
"I love you."
He looks slightly stunned then a small smile appears.
"I love you."
I wrap my arms around him. I am so alive and happy in this moment I don't want to leave.
I unclasp my bra and throw it to the ground and push my underwear off my waist. Charon has done the same and I feel every inch of his skin against mine, warm and toned.
"I've never done this before."
It's barely more than a whisper and I look at Charon in appreciation with a small laugh. His face looks slightly betrayed and I realise he thinks I'm laughing at him.
"You were my first" I reassure him.
He takes this in thoughtfully with a nod and a cheeky grin "so who taught who ?"
I laugh. This situation is so unusual and bizarre and I wouldn't have it any other way. I push Charon back on to the bed and straddle his hips.
"You sure ?"
"Yeah."
I sink down on him and I hear him groan. I hold in my own moan as I begin to rock back and forth. Pre War Charon is the same feeling as ghoul Charon. He is large and he fills me nicely in a way that keeps me craving more.
Charon grabs my hips and our pace increases. I hold onto his shoulders and give him quick kisses along his chest and neck.
I moan loudly as Charon bucks upwards going deeper.
"Fuck" I hear him whisper.
I keep going pushing Charon into me over and over again. I feel the warm sensation fill my stomach and I know that I am close. A few more thrusts later I am gasping obscenities and I feel the wetness grow between my legs. Charon's grip on me tightens into a bruising hold.
His hands reach up and grab my hair bringing me down to him into a passionate kiss. He groans and with a final buck I feel warmth as he spills into me.
I gasp breathlessly and fall onto his damp chest, heaving from exertion.
"What have you done to me Anna ?"
I burrow into his neck with smile "all I've ever done is love you."
Charon's hand runs through my hair and his eyes are closed contently "I love you."
He kisses me sweetly and I smile as I close my own eyes and get comfortable around him. I am so blissful I can feel it to tingling to my fingertips, it almost feels like disappearing.
